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A Look at Wireless Security Cameras
If you need to partially conceal your cameras from view, wireless security cameras are the way to go. Locations such as banks use a combination of wireless and wired, visible and hidden cameras to intimidate potential robbers, but continue...
Are Fake Security Cameras Effective?
Are fake security cameras effective? The answer is a resounding "Yes."
Fake security cameras have helped to prevent many crimes. Mounted in high profile, totally visible locations, these cameras are not hooked up to anything, they mostly...
Benefits of I.D. Badges
Everyone knows that I.D. Badges are significant to the society. It is used to identify each person from his office, school, and country. But is this the only benefit the I.D. badges provide? In general, the I.D. badge serves as a function to...
Corruption and Transparency - Part I
I. The Facts Just days before a much-awaited donor conference, the influential International Crisis Group (ICG) recommended to place all funds pledged to Macedonia under the oversight of a "corruption advisor" appointed by the European Commission....
Critical Guidelines You Need to Know Before Hiring Anyone
We don't like to think about people doing harm to ourselves or
others. The reality, however, is that we live in a country with
one of the highest rates of financial crimes, including
embezzlement, fraud, theft, etc. And, that's just...
Disability insurance 101- What You Absolutely Need to Know
Disability insurance is the mutual agreement between the policy provider and the beneficiary in which the provider agrees to pay a certain amount of money to the beneficiary on certain unexpected event leading to a disability, which incapacitates...
Electric Power Production From Magnetic Tapes
ATHENS - GREECE, -- An individual person called Basil Dimitropoulos, who is a graduate Electrical Engineer with specialization in Magnetic Recording Applications, has long announced that he developed a project that concerns Electric Power...
How to Deal with Bill Collectors
So you’ve screwed up. You’re drowning in debt. Maybe the credit card was burning a hole in your pocket and you just had to get the HDTV. Or maybe you or a family member had a medical emergency while you we laid off. It doesn’t matter to your...
The 5 W's of World Class Customer Service Training
The preamble to the United States Constitution begins, ¡¥we, the people.¡¦ I feel strongly that we, the people, are what make the difference in life, both personally and professionally. The interaction anyone has at any level with your...
Understanding Insurance Fraud
Insurance fraud is the second costliest white-collar crime in
America, after tax evasion. It is estimated that $80 billion is
paid out each year in fraudulent insurance claims. It is
estimated by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud that...
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Identity Theft – Additional Protection for Soldiers on Active Duty
Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act several years ago in an attempt to smooth out some problems in the credit reporting industry. The best known provision of this Act is one that permits Americans to receive a free copy of their credit reports from each of the three main credit bureaus once per year. So far, this provision of the Act has been a success. A lesser-known provision of the legislation is one that is intended to protect active duty military personnel from being victimized by identity theft while they are out of the country.
Identity theft is a crime committed by someone who obtains personal information from a victim and then uses that information to obtain loans or credit in the victim’s name. While the thief is making off with the money, goods, or services, the victim is left with the bills. Being a victim of identity theft can be difficult for anyone, as it often takes several years to undo the damage done to the victim’s credit report. Identity theft can be even more difficult if the victim is an active duty soldier serving outside the United States. The average victim of identity theft takes nearly a year to discover the crime; it will undoubtedly take even longer if the victim is outside of the country. The amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act allows active duty personnel who are away from their main duty stations to place an “active duty alert” on their credit reports. The presence of this alert requires any creditor to verify
the identity of the borrower prior to granting credit in his or her name. Since it isn’t usually possible to contact a soldier who is outside the country, this effectively freezes the credit report of the individual until they return from overseas service, thus protecting them from identity theft.
If you are serving the country in a military capacity, away from your active duty station, you may enact an “active duty alert” by contacting one of the three credit bureaus: Experian, Trans Union, or Equifax. It is only necessary to contact one company; that company will inform the other two. At that time, you may also designate a personal representative who will act on your behalf while you are away. This alert is active for one year, and may be renewed.
Military personnel who are serving the United States in a time of war have enough to worry about without having to be concerned about identity theft. The Fair Credit Reporting Act leaves them with one less thing to worry about.
About The Author
© Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing.
Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including http://www.End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and http://www.homeequityhelp.net, a site devoted to information regarding home equity lending.
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